NFL Notebook | Browns' Brady Quinn done for season

BEREA, Ohio — Brady Quinn waited his whole life to make the NFL and then 1 ½ years more for his first start for the Cleveland Browns.

And then, it was gone — a three-and-out more painful than any before.

Quinn's season ended on Wednesday after just three starts, done in by a broken right index finger that he tried to play with last week and may now require surgery.

Given the options of resting or an operation last week, Quinn could have sat out Sunday's game against Houston. But the second-year quarterback chose to play and did more damage to his finger.

"That was something that I was willing to risk," he said Wednesday. "If I had a chance to do it over, I would do it again."

Quinn must now decide whether to have surgery or have his finger immobilized in a splint. Browns coach Romeo Crennel said doctors want Quinn to make up his mind within a week. Either way, it's at least a six-week process and Quinn won't play again this season. The Browns placed him on injured reserve Thursday night.

With Quinn out, Derek Anderson is back as Cleveland's starting quarterback. But in a stunning comment, Crennel said Quinn will be his starter going into training camp in 2009.

"I had planned to go with Brady to be the quarterback," Crennel said. "When he comes back, he's going to be the quarterback. Quinn is the starter."

Johnson's non-lesson

CINCINNATI — Asked if he has learned anything from his benching for a verbal altercation with a Cincinnati Bengals coach, receiver Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson thought for a few seconds before barely smiling and giving a one-word answer.

"No," he said, then tried to move on.

Coach Marvin Lewis sent the Pro Bowl receiver home before a game in Pittsburgh last Thursday after he showed up late for a team meeting, exchanged words with a coach and then left the meeting. The receiver was back in Cincinnati while the Bengals lost to the Steelers 27-10.

Johnson talked about the punishment for the first time Wednesday, declining to go into detail about what happened while acknowledging that the one-game benching was merited.

"I didn't get a chance to play," he said. "My dad [Lewis] deactivated me, punishment for his son. Other than that, I'm back this week."

Notes

• London Fletcher (sprained foot) was one of three Washington defensive starters unable to practice because of foot injuries, putting the middle linebacker's streak of 130 consecutive NFL starts in jeopardy. DE Andre Carter (plantar fasciitis) and DT Kedric Golston (bone spurs) were also absent.

• Denver signed free-agent FB Andrew Pinnock to shore up its injury-riddled backfield.

• Chicago DB Nathan Vasher has a fractured right hand and will miss Sunday's game against Minnesota.

• Atlanta put starting TE Ben Hartsock (toe) on IR and brought back TE Jason Rader for the second time this season.

• With his salary going up and his playing time going down, RB Fred Taylor thinks his Jacksonville career could be nearing an end. He has two years remaining on his contract and is due to make $6 million next season. Throw in coach Jack Del Rio's promise for change, and several aging veterans — most notably Taylor — are expecting to move.

"I just want to play football," Taylor said. "This is where my heart is. Jacksonville is all I know. ... I've always been afraid to get cut, be released, all of that. How come you think I'm still here? I never ever wanted to go into free agency."

• New York Giants K Lawrence Tynes has asked the Bush administration to commute a lengthy sentence given to his brother for distributing marijuana, saying the 27-year sentence was excessive for the crime.

Mark Tynes was convicted in 2004 of two counts of marijuana distribution for his part in a plan to move 18 tons of marijuana between Texas and Florida.